Monday, 28 October 2024

MUSHROOM GNOCCHI BAKE

  

I LOVE mushrooms and they work a treat in this comforting, super easy to make creamy and cheesy mushroom gnocchi bake!

The taleggio slices on top are a must, giving the bake a luxurious melted cheese topping which is the warming food we all need on a rainy autumn day!

Serves 3-4

INGREDIENTS

  • 150g Spinach
  • 1 Clove Garlic
  • 1 Lemon
  • 4 tbsp Single Cream
  • 100g Taleggio
  • 2 tsp Chilli Flakes
  • 25g Parsley
  • 15g Thyme
  • 200g Mushrooms
  • 250g Chestnut Mushrooms
  • 800g Gnocchi
  • Olive Oil

METHOD
  • Slice up your mushrooms. 
  • Add a splash of olive oil to a frying pan. 
  • Cook the mushrooms until browned and shrivelled.
  • Add your crushed garlic, the thyme leaves, half your chilli flakes and half of your parsley chopped. 
  • Add the zest from your lemon/s. Mix everything in. 
  • Add single cream. 
  • Allow it to bubble down and add your spinach. 
  • Leave it to wilt.
  • Add gnocchi to a bowl and cover with boiling water. 
  • Leave for 5 minutes.
  • Back to your sauce. 
  • Once the spinach has wilted, add the juice from half of the lemon/s.
  • Add a little of water from the gnocchi bowl to the sauce. 
  • Mix together. 
  • Drain the gnocchi and add to the sauce.
  • Mix everything together. 
  • Season well with salt and pepper. Add more gnocchi water if needed.
  • Pour the gnocchi into an oven proof dish. 
  • Top with slices of taleggio, sprinkle on the rest of the chilli flakes and place under the grill for 10 minutes, until golden and bubbling.
  • Spoon out the gnocchi, top with the remaining chopped parsley and tuck in. 
  • Enjoy

Monday, 14 October 2024

CHEESY BUTTERNUT SQUASH, LEEK & MUSHROOM GRATIN WITH BUTTER BEANS


On a cold and rainy day like today there really is nothing better than an oozy gratin, hot out the oven, for dinner.

This gratin also happens to be packed with tons of veg, as well as protein from the butter beans, with a little bit of cheese and cream added into the mix for a touch of indulgence to make even the most miserable day a little better.

SERVES 2-3

INGREDIENTS
  • 2 Leeks
  • 200g mushrooms
  • 15g Sage
  • 1 Butternut Squash
  • 470g Drained Butter Beans
  • 1 tbsp Wholegrain Mustard
  • 300 ml Single Cream
  • 150 g Extra Mature Cheddar 
  • Olive Oil
  • Salt & Pepper
METHOD
  • Preheat your oven to 200°C.
  • Wash and finely slice your leek an mushrooms, roughly chop the sage. 
  • Place a saucepan over medium heat and add 2 tbsp of olive oil. 
  • Add the leeks, mushrooms and sage and sweat down for 5 mins until soft and golden.
  • While the veg cooks, wash and slice your butternut squash into roughly half centimetre thick slices and set aside. 
  • Grate the cheddar and also set aside.
  • Drain your butter beans and add to the leeks along with the mustard and cream, mix well and season with salt and pepper.
  • In a large oven dish, spread a layer of squash, followed by half of the butter bean mix and roughly a third of the grated cheddar.
  • Repeat with a second layer of squash, butter beans and cheddar, then a final layer of squash and the remaining cheddar.
  • Place into the oven for 40 mins until the squash is tender and the cheese is golden brown.
  • Allow to rest for 5 mins before serving.

Monday, 7 October 2024

SAUCY MUSHROOM NOODLES IN STICKY SAUCE // SPICY SMASHED CUCUMBER


I am finally back on the new recipe train after a gruelling fashion month, which more often than not saw me reverting back to tried and tested recipes when the time to cook was sparse rather than even attempt to be creative or try something new!

To start off things here is a super quick, super easy recipe for saucy mushroom noodles in a sticky sauce with a side of spicy smashed cucumbers!

A word of caution - go easy on the chilli with the smashed cucumbers… I may have gone a little overboard and ended up having to down some milk to regain feeling in my tongue!

SAUCY MUSHROOM NOODLES IN STICKY SAUCE

SERVES 2

INGREDIENTS
  • 400g oyster mushrooms (or your mushrooms of choice)
  • 4 tbsp water
  • 2 heaped tbsp oyster sauce
  • 1 tbsp dark soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp light soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine
  • 2 tsp sugar
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 tbsp vegetable oil (or any neutral oil)
  • 4 spring onions, thinly sliced, whites and greens separated
  • 2 portions of ready-to-cook noodles (any type)

METHOD
  • Tear or slice the oyster mushrooms into thin strips. 
  • In a small bowl, whisk together the water, oyster sauce, dark soy sauce, light soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, sugar and garlic, then set aside for later
  • Heat the vegetable oil in a large non-stick frying pan or wok over medium-high heat.
  • Add the mushrooms and spring onion whites, season very lightly with salt and stir fry for 5 to 7 minutes, or until the mushrooms are cooked.
  • Add the sauce made in step 1 and cook, stirring occasionally, for 2 to 3 minutes, or until slightly thickened, then remove the pan from the heat.
  • In a separate pot, cook the noodles according to the packet instructions, then drain.
  • Return the saucy mushrooms to the stove over a medium-high heat. 
  • Add the noodles and stir fry for 2 to 3 minutes, or until everything is nice and hot and the sauce nicely coats the noodles.
  • Transfer to a platter and top with the spring onion greens, then serve and enjoy.

SPICY SMASHED CUCUMBER



INGREDIENTS
  • 1 large cucumber
  • ½ tsp fine sea salt
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 tbsp rice vinegar
  • 1 tbsp light soy sauce
  • 1 tsp sesame oil
  • 1 tsp chilli flakes or Chinese-style chilli oil
  • 1 tsp sugar
METHOD
  • Trim the ends of the cucumber. 
  • Using the flat side of your knife or a rolling pin, gently smack the cucumbers until they split, then slice into small bite-sized chunks.
  • Transfer to a sieve, sprinkle with the salt and toss to coat. 
  • Leave to sit for 10 to 15 minutes to drain some of the cucumber water.
  • Transfer the drained cucumber pieces to a medium mixing bowl. 
  • Add the remaining ingredients and toss to combine, then serve and enjoy.